A blind but avid Plymouth Argyle fan was reportedly forced to make a 350-mile journey from Bradford to Plymouth alone - despite there apparently being 15 empty spaces on the fan coach.

Joanne Benwell, who grew up in Plymouth but now lives in Lancashire, had been attempting to buy a travel ticket for the coach all week leading up to the game on Saturday, but was allegedly told she could only pay cash-in-hand at Home Park.

Hoping she could buy a ticket straight from the coach driver on the day to get to Plymouth for the Paul Sturrock title winners meal, she claims she turned up only to be told this would not be possible due to insurance reasons.

That meant the 33-year-old mum-of-two, who was born with a condition which has seen her eyesight deteriorate year-on-year, had to make the journey alone – catching a train and then a bus, and not arriving in Plymouth until 3am on Sunday morning.

Her father, David Benwell, said the whole situation was "football plummeting to new depths".

Joanne Benwell is a massive Green Army fan and goes to most of their games

"It is absolutely disgraceful and not the way you treat a loyal fan," he said. "It meant she was blind wondering around Bristol for an hour on a Saturday night to get her connecting coach, when there were 15 seats free on the fan coach back to Plymouth.

"She had an operation on her eye on Friday to relieve pressure and was wearing an eye patch, and was still determined to go to the football.

"I am absolutely speechless that they cannot let her ride back with them on a half empty coach."

Joanne, who lives near Preston, was born with a condition called congenital aniridia, and following complications her eyesight rapidly deteriorated.

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Although she has some residual vision and is as independent as possible, she is registered blind.

When living in Plymouth, she worked for Plymouth Argyle for 10 years, but was made redundant when the team went into administration.

But that has not quashed her love for them - and she goes to as many games as she can across the country.

She even paid £1,000 to go on tour with the club in Holland.

She claims she was told she would have to pay cash-in-hand for the ticket at Home Park (Image: Lucy Davies)

Her dad said: "All week she has been trying to book tickets for the fan coach, but she was told she could not as she has to pay cash in hand - even though she lives 350 miles away.

"The ticket officer for the club hasn't returned her call on three occasions during the week. And when she asked the travel manager [on Saturday] if she could ride back on the supporters' bus, which she was happy to pay there and then for, he refused for insurance reasons.